A Decade of Innovation in Food Waste Prevention

This year marks an important milestone for LeanPath: we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary as a company, dedicated to food waste prevention. We’re deeply grateful for our client partners over this decade, a group of innovative and passionate people leading the industry as “waste warriors.” We’ve learned so much from you, the people who actually see and understand this challenge most clearly. You’ve inspired us with your enthusiasm for food waste prevention and your work to transform your operations, your communities, the industry, and even the world.

Now, a flashback to 2004 when we started down the “Lean Path.” For those in college & university dining, you likely still had trays in your all-you-care-to-eat dining halls. For those in healthcare food and nutrition, you probably didn’t have room service for patient feeding. “Wellness” and “sustainability” were not terms heard regularly in most foodservice operations. And one thing we know for certain: food waste wasn’t getting much attention.

Fast forward to today. Food waste is making headlines across the globe. Studies are regularly released highlighting the sobering statistics and encouraging consumers and businesses to take action. Regulatory changes and food waste bans are coming into effect in many cities and states. Global leaders are highlighting the issue. And, what gets us most excited, foodservice operators are taking action in ever greater numbers to prevent food waste before it occurs, and before they need to compost or pulp it.

This represents a significant milestone for LeanPath, but more importantly it marks a milestone in the movement to prevent food waste. In partnership with our clients, industry suppliers, government agencies, and food waste advocates we’ve had the privilege to build a piece of the foundation on which a much broader food waste movement now stands poised to make massive progress. For we know this is a large problem, but it’s a solvable problem. We can prevent food waste together, and we will!